How to Start Affiliate Marketing: 4 Traffic Methods That Actually Work

How to Start Affiliate Marketing: 4 Traffic Methods That Actually Work

So you want to start affiliate marketing. You've heard it's a way to make bank without creating your own products. Smart move.

But here's what stops most people: getting traffic.
No traffic means no clicks. No clicks means no sales. No sales means no money.
Alex Hormozi has broken down four proven traffic methods that work...even for beginners. I'll walk you through each one, showing you exactly how to use them to start your affiliate marketing business.

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Why Traffic is Everything in Affiliate Marketing

Think of traffic as people walking into a store. Without people coming in, even the best products won't sell. As an affiliate marketer, your job is to send the right people to the right offers.

The beauty of affiliate marketing is that once you set up your traffic systems, you can turn a profit while you sleep. But first, you need to master at least one traffic method.

Let's break down the four main ways to get people to see your affiliate offers.

1. Warm Outreach: Your Easiest First Sales

Warm outreach means talking to people you already know about your affiliate offers. This includes friends, family, social media followers, and other contacts.
Many new affiliate marketers skip this step. They think it's somehow cheating or embarrassing to sell to people they know. This is a huge mistake.

Your existing network is your most valuable asset when starting out. These people already trust you, which makes them more likely to take action on your recommendations.

Here's how to do warm outreach right:
First, make a list of 20-50 people you could contact. Don't worry about whether they'll buy - just list everyone you know who might benefit from what you're promoting.
Next, craft a personal message. Be honest about being an affiliate. For example:
"Hey [Name], I just started recommending [Product] as an affiliate because I think it's really good for [specific benefit]. Based on what you've shared about [their situation], I thought it might help you too. Would you like to learn more about it?"
The key is being personal and helpful, not pushy. Think about how the product could genuinely help each person.
Even if they don't buy, ask for feedback on your approach. This gives you valuable information to improve your pitch.
Some tips for warm outreach:

  • Be upfront about being an affiliate
  • Focus on how the product helps them, not how you benefit
  • Follow up once or twice, but don't be pushy
  • Thank people whether they buy or not
  • Ask satisfied customers for referrals

Warm outreach might not feel as exciting as other methods, but it's the fastest way to get your first affiliate sales and build confidence.

2. Post Free Content: Building Trust Through Value

Creating helpful content is the most sustainable way to attract people to your affiliate offers. When you share useful information, you build trust with your audience before asking them to buy.
The best part? This method costs nothing but time and effort.
Free content works because it follows a natural human pattern: give before you take. When you help someone solve a small problem for free, they're more likely to trust your recommendation for a paid solution to a bigger problem.
Here's how to create effective free content:

  1. Choose topics that relate to your affiliate products
  2. Create content that solves specific problems
  3. Add value that people can use right away
  4. Mention your affiliate product as a related solution
  5. Include your affiliate link naturally within the content

For example, if you promote cooking tools, create content like "3 Easy Ways to Cook Faster" or "How to Make Restaurant-Quality Meals at Home." Then mention how specific tools (your affiliate products) make these tasks easier.
Types of free content that work well:

  • How-to guides and tutorials
  • Tips and tricks
  • Product comparisons
  • Problem-solving advice
  • Resource lists

You can share this content on:

  • YouTube
  • Social media (Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn)
  • Email newsletters
  • Podcast episodes

The key is consistency. It's better to post smaller pieces of content regularly than to make one perfect piece and then disappear. Start with what you can manage—even one good post per week can build momentum over time.

Remember the 80/20 rule: 80% of your content should provide pure value, while only 20% should promote affiliate products. This balance keeps your audience engaged without feeling constantly sold to.

3. Run Paid Ads: Scaling With Smart Investment

Paid advertising lets you reach more people faster, but it comes with risks. You're spending money upfront hoping to earn more in return.
For beginners, I recommend starting with the first two methods before trying paid ads. Once you've proven your offer converts through warm outreach and free content, paid ads can help you scale.
When you're ready for paid ads:

  1. Start with a small daily budget ($5-10)
  2. Test different ad versions
  3. Track which ads bring sales, not just clicks
  4. Scale up what works, stop what doesn't

The most important rule: never spend money you can't afford to lose while learning. Think of your first $100-500 in ad spend as education, not guaranteed returns.
Paid ads work best when you:

  • Send traffic to a landing page, not directly to affiliate links
  • Focus on one clear audience with specific needs
  • Use simple, direct messages about benefits
  • Include a strong call to action
  • Test different images, headlines, and copy

Most successful affiliate marketers use a landing page or "bridge page" between their ads and affiliate links. This page pre-sells the offer and builds trust before sending visitors to the product.

With the right approach, paid ads can help you score big by reaching exactly the right people with your affiliate offers. Just make sure to start small and scale gradually.

4. Cold Outreach: Finding New Opportunities

Cold outreach means contacting potential customers who don't already know you. This includes email outreach, direct messages, and comments on relevant posts.
While often challenging, cold outreach can work well when done with care and respect. The key is being helpful first, not immediately pushing your affiliate links.
Effective cold outreach methods:

  1. Find people actively looking for solutions (in groups, forums, comments)
  2. Offer genuine help with their specific problem
  3. Build a relationship before mentioning affiliate products
  4. Follow up thoughtfully
  5. Accept that most people won't respond

For example, you might see someone asking about home workout equipment in a fitness group. Instead of immediately dropping your affiliate link, provide helpful advice first. After a few interactions, you could mention: "By the way, I've found [Product] really helpful for what you're trying to do. Happy to share more if you're interested."
Cold outreach works best when:

  • You research before reaching out
  • Each message is personalized
  • You focus on helping, not selling
  • You're patient and persistent
  • You track your results to improve over time

The beauty of cold outreach is that it costs nothing but time, and it can help you reach people who would never find you otherwise.

Combining Traffic Methods for Maximum Results

The most successful affiliate marketers don't rely on just one traffic method. They combine all four approaches:

  • Warm outreach for quick initial sales
  • Free content for long-term trust building
  • Paid ads to scale what's already working
  • Cold outreach to find new opportunities

Start with warm outreach and free content. These build your foundation. As you learn what works, add paid ads to accelerate growth. Use cold outreach throughout to open new doors.
Remember, affiliate marketing is a marathon, not a sprint. Focus on helping people find solutions to their problems, and the commissions will follow.

Getting Started Today

The biggest mistake new affiliate marketers make is trying to learn everything before taking action. Instead, pick one traffic method and start using it this week.

  1. Make a list of 20 people for warm outreach
  2. Create one piece of helpful content
  3. Reach out to 5 people with personalized messages
  4. Track your results

Even small steps will teach you more than endless research. Each conversation and piece of content helps you learn what works for your specific audience and offers.

With consistent effort and the right approach to these four traffic methods, you can build wealth through affiliate marketing. Just remember: focus on helping people first, and the profits will follow.

If you want to learn how to build a business from scratch, make sure that you grab a free membership here.